all access conference

This week is the Association of Related Churches *All Access Conference 2012* in Dallas, TX.

While I was unable to go, Colby is there!!  He was also able to take Eric, our worship leader, and Ryan & Leo who are two awesome guys serving on our board. 

ARC is the wonderful organization that was instrumental in us launching Elevate Church. 

Little boys (yay!) and taxes (boo!) have kept me at home but as I type I'm watching the evening session live on the internet.  Love technology!!

The Day after Sunday

So I missed last week....  

Park was sick all week and was diagnosed with Pneumonia on Thursday.  Rough week but he's finally feeling better!


This week was the final week in our Getting Past Your Past series at Elevate.  My husband talked to us about what's next...  after we leave our past behind - then what?  How many times have you wondered what God's will for your life was?  A lot of times we want to open up the Bible and be able to find an exact, clear, and concise answer to all our questions.  But let's be honest - that doesn't always happen.  It doesn't even USUALLY happen.

 However, God doesn't just want to provide us with answers but he wants to be our guide...  to go along with us on the journey and not for us to just grab an answer from him and then go on our way.

Here are some reasons we don't follow the Guide:
1) We live by sight and not by faith.
2) We have a fear of failure.
3) We don't really trust God with our future.

Our next step in following the Guide will require action.  In Genesis 12:1-4 God gives Abraham one thing to do ....  GO!  Abraham had to take action, he had to go on faith without knowing what exactly would come next. 

So what is God whispering to you?  Go?  Stay?  Forgive?  Believe? 

Take action!  Do that next right thing and then stay close to the Guide!

The Day after Sunday

Yesterday at Elevate my husband spoke on restoring relationships.  Who among us has never had to do that?!  It was an amazing message - practical and full of hope!

Matthew 5:23-24 says "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift."

Go back and look at the words...  first go.  God doesn't tell us to go reconcile after you come and worship him - it's one time where he tells us that restoring relationships comes before worshiping him.  FIRST GO!

So how do we do that?  How do we apologize with integrity?
1)  Get specific in your apology.
2)  Don't make excuses.
3)  Accept the consequences.
4)  Change the behavior.
5)  Ask for forgiveness. 

At the close of the message 11 people made the decision to begin a new life in Christ!!  Celebrating awesome news like that will never get old!!!

All messages can be listened to online at http://www.elevateerie.tv/.

 

The Day after Sunday

Yesterday was the launch of Elevate Church!

It was an incredibly amazing day.  We saw around 560 people walk through the doors of Harding School.  And the absolute best news on the planet is that 38 of them began a new life in Christ!!

Our current series is entitled "Getting Past Your Past."  My husband led us through these three points:

1) God will give you a new name...  Anyone who belongs to Christ is new person.  2 Cor. 5:17  God will give us a new name (transformed, healed, overcomer) and he will help us grow into that name!

2) God will give you a new purpose....  Out of our greatest weakness can grow our greatest strength.

3) God will give you a new future!  Don't dare insult God with faithlessness about our future. 

God's power is bigger than our past.  What an awesome message for our first Sunday!!  If you'd like to listen online just click here.

We'd love to have you join us next week for the second message in this series.

Title of this post? I have no idea.

I'm also not doing to be able to write complete sentences either.....

But here are some of my random thoughts:

I AM SO EXCITED  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We launch Elevate Church is 4 days!

We made the news - so awesome!

Our radio ad has been airing on 7 local stations for the past week. 

Our Dream Team is amazing.  We have SO many people helping us!

We just got our sweetness T-shirts in the mail. 

We've been meeting in different homes each night this week to pray for our families, our church, and our city. 

The school we are meeting in (Harding) has been amazing.

Elevate Kids is gonna rock.

My husband is the hardest working man I know.

Our direct mailer went to 56,000 homes in and around Erie!

My house is a wreck.

My God's not dead - he's surely alive!!!!  LOVE that song.

I'm praying that all the friends I've invited will come on Sunday.

My sister and family leave in the morning to drive from SC all the way to Erie.

My boys love Elevate already.  SOOOO fun to see them excited about church.

I have stupid pink eye. 

I'm so ready for Erie to see people excited about worshipping God!

My Dad & Mom and brother & SIL are driving to Erie on Saturday.

It's hard for me to concentrate at work anymore.

I've been blown away by people's generosity and their heart for reaching the lost.

I'm exhausted.

I'm encouraged.

I'm nervous.

I'm ready!!!!!!!!!!!

Elevate update

Less than two weeks until we launch!!

And my emotions are all over the place.

This last Sunday was a hard day for me. This was the 4th and final week in our Growth Track series. We had a wonderful turn out for Dream Team 401 and were able to get so many people plugged in to where they want to serve at Elevate. However, this was also our first Sunday morning at Harding School and our first attempt at setting up all our different areas. We knew there would be issues that would come up, things still needing to be purchased, problems to be solved... and I let myself get overwhelmed.

But then guess who popped into my head?

Psalty.  Who?

Remember Psalty the Singing Songbook anyone?? I can just hear him singing to me in the back of my parent's blue and gray big ole van....

It's not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.
It's not by might, nor by power, sayeth the Lord.

We'd like to think that we can handle problems on our own.
We buckle down, apply the steam, work our hands down to the bone.
But when we've gone around in circles and there's no place left to turn,
The Lord reminds us quietly, There's a lesson to be learned.

We try and try in our own strength to make things come out right.
We think and plan and orgainze and try with all our might.
But when we've finally reached the bottom, the end of all our rope,
The Lord reminds us, once again, In Me you'll find your hope.

It's not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.
It's not by might, nor by power, sayeth the Lord.

Deep breath.

Thanks for the reminder Psalty.

Elevate is Christ's church. His bride.

I can relax. There is absolutely nothing for me to worry about.

My hope is in Jesus. And the best news is that He is the hope of the world!

Joyful

Less than three weeks. 

There are less than three weeks until we birth this baby.  (confused? see previous post here!)  All my babies were big - Jake was close to 9lbs - but this one is gonna be HUGE! 

We are so overwhelmed that God would allow us to plant his church here in Erie.   Our partners, The Association of Related Churches and Cedarcreek Church in Toledo, OH, have been huge assets in helping us navigate this journey.  This is by far the hardest thing that we've ever done! 

My heart is so full of the possibilities of what the Lord is going to do through Elevate Church!! 

But can I be honest?? 

My house is a mess, my kids are eating junk, I'm exhausted, I'm scared, I feel unorganized and I hate that...

But I am also so joyful!! 

Joyful for the outstanding team that has surrounded us and carried us through this season in our lives. 

Joyful for our amazing families that have supported us from a distance, praying, and sending check after check after check, tangibly pouring into this ministry. 

Joyful for a place, a church, where I can finally, without hesitation or reservation, invite my friends!!! 

Joyful for my three little boys and their willingness to try out various different churches this winter - all while being "super spies" and tellling us what they liked about various children's ministries. 

Joyful for my husband who listened to God's call on his life and is praying without ceasing while working his tail off. 

And joyful that I get to be along for the ride.

"...upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it."  Matthew 16:18

Our basement, bless it's heart



The sheer amount of wires in this room is insane.

Our kitchen table

Our kitchen counter

Our makeshift church office

A random chair with a wheel and carabiners, of course

Our floor




And besides my house being completely unrecognizable, we're also doing crazy things. Like sticking green putty in peoples ears. 

 



MOBILIZE

Last night was Elevate Church's very first MOBILIZE meeting. 

A lot of church planters will equate church planting to giving birth. And just like God is the giver of the miracle of new life, he is also the sole reason that Elevate will open it's door when we launch this baby in February.

But for right now... we're pregnant! We continue to pray and trust God for the supernatural while doing everything we can in the natural to plan and prepare for the launch of Elevate. And there is so much to be done!

I shared this birthing analogy last night at our meeting and told everyone that I felt like we were kind of like at our first ultrasound appointment... getting our first glimpse at this beautiful group of people that God is calling together
to help elevate his name in the city of Erie. 

Thank you for praying for us!! And thank you so much for giving your resources to help us deliver one awesome, life-giving, life changing baby!!

Who doesn't love Chick-fil-A?

Chick-fil-A has also been a favorite in the Atkins house.

When we moved to Erie we were so excited that there was a stand alone restaurant in town because is in Toledo the only one was in the mall. Where else can you get sweet tea with a smile and a "my pleasure!"

Near the end of October the following was posted on our local Chick-fil-A Facebook page.

Do you know someone who deserves a surprise party with 30-50 of their closest friends at Chick-fil-A? Chick-fil-A Erie is interested in honoring several special individuals by scheduling a FREE NIGHT of CHICK-FIL-A for up to 50 people in honor of them and to celebrate them! If you know someone who deserves to be crowned the Guest of Honor, please send their story and why they deserve to be crowned a Guest of Honor to 01879@chick-fil-a.com.

I nominated Colby and he was chosen to receive a wonderful night of encouragement surrounded by our closest friends! He was been working so hard lately and I just wanted to hit pause for a couple hours and just let him know how much we all love him and support him. And I wanted it to be a surprise.

Guess what? I TOTALLY pulled it off!!

He had NO idea :)

 The telltale sign of surprise... the scratching of his head

Our orders were taken at our tables.... tablecloths, printed menus, waitresses, and even desserts!!

Friends!

 Some of the kids!

More friends!!

 How AMAZING is Chick-fil-A!!!! 

 Thank you everyone who made this night so special!!!  We love you all and couldn't do any of this without you!

November - 30K in 30DAYS

                

Colby and I are so excited to announce that we will be planting Elevate Church in Erie, PA in early 2012. For the past 4 years Colby has been working as the Lead Pastor of Epic at First Alliance Church. We are so thankful for all that God has done in our hearts and lives as we have had the opportunity to serve there. God has used this experience to develop the gifts and the vision He has placed in our heart to help us understand what it takes to plant a life-giving church that will reach people who are far from God.

In August of 2007, God placed a vision and passion in both of our hearts for the City of Erie and we have been planning and preparing ever since. “Elevate” comes from a passion to lift God up in our city and to reach the spiritually restless with the life-giving message of Jesus Christ. We believe that no matter where you are on the journey - God wants us all to take that next step and experience life on another level.

Our anticipated launch date is 2.12.12.

We're home

I really, really, really dislike flying with my children.

I sweat.  

A lot.  

I have to plan ahead and wear layers so that I can strip down to a tank top.  

Strollers, toys, food, medicine, screaming kids, bathroom trips ~ you know the drill.  

Well, after our second flight down to Alabama within a month, I've decided that I hate flying without them even more.  Weird, I know.  But what if something were to happen?  Colby & I are on the same plane, together, I'm sure you know where I'm going with this.  And that thought just stresses me out.

So anyways, I've made a decision.   No more airplanes for me.  

So long friendly skies.

But guess what? We're home! We flew into Buffalo last night and pulled into our driveway around 1am. Our wonderful friends had our kids asleep in their beds here at the house and I crawled in and snuggled with each one of them. Sleeping children are just so precious. (and quiet!)  And Park? He was my favorite. I yanked him out of his crib, he woke up, and just laughed at us. Again and again, laughing. I have no idea why? Love him.

ARC 3.0 was an adventure. It was in a more laid back setting than 2.0 but definitely more intense! We received a call today that we have been approved to move on to 4.0 which is where we get into the nitty gritty on launching our specific church.

The details are coming together and I can't wait to share them with you. Our hearts are so full and overwhelmed that God would give us this vision and we feel privileged to be able to help carry it out!

Back to Birmingham

Tomorrow morning Colby & I leave to fly back to Birmingham.  We are partnering with a wonderful organization called the Association of Related Churches which was born out of Church of the Highlands.  ARC works with church planters, church leaders, and churches in transition to provide support, guidance and resources to launch and grow life-giving churches.

 

ARC 1.0 Basics:  Getting started

Understanding the correct model is crucial to have a dynamic, life-giving church.

ARC 2.0 Advance Training:  The big event

Discover everything practical on team building, fund raising, marketing, structures, communication and how to pull off a successful first service.

ARC 3.0 Opportunity Assessment:  Are you ready?

Make sure you're ready - your marriage, your vision, you plan.

ARC 4.0 In Action:  It's time to plant

Get everything in place to launch strong and large.

There are 4 steps that ARC takes you through while preparing you to plant a church. The first step was a series of DVD's that we watched and second was a 5 day intensive training course that we went to in Alabama. And now we are headed back to Birmingham for part three. This two-day assessment is ARC’s opportunity to get to know Colby & I and to evaluate our communication of the vision and values for our future church. They consider our calling, gifts, strengths and strategy.

Many thanks to our friends Eric & Shaina as they watch the boys while we are gone. We are so excited to be completing this process and partnering with ARC as we look to plant our new church here in Erie.

I'll post again when we are down south!!

Our heart

The unchurched.... people who have never had a meaningful relationship with God.

The dechurched.... people who were once active in a church - they may have grown up in the church or believed in God at some point, but they no longer consider themselves church people - in fact, some may no longer consider themselves Christians.

The spiritually restless... people who long for a deeper meaning for their life.

Do you see yourself in any of these categories??

These are the people who have our heart.

God has called us to start a church where we can reach out to these people, to serve them, and to meet them right where they are.  To be life-giving.

So here we go.

Two Trees

I’ve learned a new word recently.

Life-giving.

Even those of us who don’t have a church background probably know this story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden....

Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said,  ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

Genesis 2:8-9, 15-16, 3:1-5

The crazy thing is that the choice offered to Eve is the same choice we are offered today.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a legalistic, self-righteous mind-set. We can choose to live according to the knowledge of good and evil, maintaining a form of godliness that will ultimately leave us cold and dark. Does this mindset describe your personal experience with a lot of Christians or churches? If I were honest my answer would easily be YES.

Our other choice is to choose the tree of life. To breathe life – not rules or condemnation – into people. We know what is right and wrong when we are in the tree of life, but our attitude and expression of right and wrong are on a different level.

Sometimes we can jump between the two trees. Believe me – I know that it feels good to prove to someone how you are right and they are wrong. Yet even when we are technically right, we are achieving an empty victory at best. In other words we are right – dead right. And who wants to be that?

So… life-giving, my new phrase. I want to be life-giving. As a couple Colby and I want to be life-giving. As a family we want to be life-giving. And our deepest desire is to be a part of a church that is life-giving.

To be continued.......

Push

Today has been a big day.  One of those huge, life altering kind of days.

This morning Colby resigned from being the Lead Pastor at Epic.  We are beyond grateful for our time at Epic/First Alliance Church.  Our prayer is that God continues to work through the Epic service and move through those of you who faithfully attend.  We are asking God for big things for you guys!!

In 2005, months after Wade was born, we first felt God’s push on our lives.  Most people say that God “called” them into ministry…  he had to push us!   We had been volunteering at our church in Toledo – helping with the youth group and Colby was also singing on the worship team.  Within a month or so that church lost both its Youth Pastor and Worship Pastor.  Colby was offered both jobs…  Push #1.

In 2007, three months after being hired to be the Worship Pastor at Epic, God pushed again.  The weekend that we were permanently moving our belongings out of our home in Perrysburg , OH and into a rental in Erie, PA we found out that the Lead Pastor of our new church plant was resigning.  Colby stepped in and took on the role of Lead Pastor as well as Worship Pastor…  Push #2.

One thing that we have learned is that God's voice is loud, clear, and undeniable.   He's pushing us again and it is crazy exciting.

Push #3.

To be continued…….